Almost exactly one year since we arrived in Kenya for Africa Based Orientation we have completed our first school year serving at RVA
The term finished with a flurry of concerts, banquets and graduation – a strange US tradition. I seem to remember when my generation finished school we just …. left (and waited nervously for our A-level results).
Nevertheless, graduation was a moving occasion, even though I knew very few of the students personally, having not taught any final year students.
They looked very smart decked out in gown, mortar board and RVA scarf (they get to keep the scarf – the gown and cap had to be returned in exchange for their official school transcript of results, which they need if they are going off to university).
Earlier in the month I finished teaching the set curriculum, and there were a few days of revision. The Monday of the final week of term had shortened lessons before the final exams, so my pupils had a lesson in the practical application of probability – they played blackjack (pontoon, vingt-et-un) in groups of four or five, with the winner of each group getting a donut. One of the lesson objectives was ‘the bank always wins’, and several of them got the point 😦
Then it was the usual palaver of collecting text books and rented graphics calculators, marking final exams and saying goodbye to my classes. I made some awards, ranging from “Academic Excellence in Algebra” (getting an average mark over the year of 95%, through “Most determined to succeed” to “Most talkative student” and “Most familiar with the rest room”.
Some of the students gave me little notes, which I will treasure.
Now Lesley and I are back in Europe for a few weeks. Next blog post will be in late August…
Proof of the pudding 
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